Stretford High School Assessment, Marking, Feedback and Presentation - - PDF document

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Stretford High School Assessment, Marking, Feedback and Presentation Policy

Ratified by the Board of Governors: May 2019 Due for review: April 2022

2 This policy is only one strand of the ongoing assessment that measures student progress. The policy supports the school’s aims to provide a high quality of education for all its students and our students understanding to take responsibility for their own learning. Overall Aims of the Policy

• To ensure that the marking of students work in all subjects (including home learning) provides

consistent, effective and incisive communication regarding individual progress.

• To enable students to be confident in their achievements and to inform them of their next

steps to improve their learning and progress.

• To develop students use of Standard English and to address Literacy across the curriculum.
• To motivate students to produce work of a consistent high quality and promote high

expectations of presentation.

• To implement the principles of Formative Assessment and provide feedback that requires

students to think and act on feedback to improve their progress. The policy in practice: Feedback at Stretford High School is categorised into the following:

• 1. Assessment for Learning (AfL)

AfL forms the foundation of assessment at SHS – our philosophy is assessment is learning. AfL techniques are a part of all lessons via verbal feedback and in lesson activities and are evidenced and monitored by Learning Walks and observations.

• 2. SIRT and DIRT tasks

In addition, teachers will plan for SIRT (Short Improvement Reflection Time) and DIRT (Dedicated Improvement Reflection Time) assessment opportunities that enable students to demonstrate, apply and consolidate knowledge and skills. Within the scheme of learning assessed SIRT or DIRT tasks will be planned for and specifically timed within a SOW to ensure that marking of student work provides meaningful feedback that enables progress to be built upon over time. It is expected that students respond to their marking and feedback in planned for SIRT and DIRT lesson time. Further guidance on SIRT/DIRT marking below.

• 3. Summative assessments

Lastly, summative assessments are used to produce data which informs planning and enables staff to track the progress of students. Throughout the year there are three assessment points in which students complete a summative assessment task that is also marked with a grade to indicate how a student is making progress from their starting point/ against their end of year target grade. Departments moderate these assessments to ensure consistency of marking and after moderation teachers enter data into SIMS for their classes; recording a working at grade which incorporates the grade achieved on the assessed piece of work and performance in class over time. Following data entry, heads of department analyse data for each year group to identify underachievement or areas of good practice. HODs and SLT links discuss this data analysis and identify and undertake appropriate actions to ensure ‘at risk’ groups receive appropriate intervention where necessary. Individual class teachers independently analyse data and produce a Venn diagram. The Venn diagram is used by staff to identify students who are underachieving in ‘at risk’ groups and to record in class strategies the teacher will use to support the progress of these students.

3 For Year 11 the HOD data analysis and individual class teacher data analysis is presented to the Assistant Headteacher responsible for intervention and the Headteacher. At these meetings the senior leaders are able to gain a whole school picture of students at risk of underachieving or presenting as a concern across the curriculum and quality assure the data analysis and venns produced. SIRT and DIRT marking: Within a PR cycle teachers may mark up to 2 SIRTS and a DIRT task, depending on curriculum allocation and agreement with HOD and SLT link with planned assessments clearly identified in mid-term plans. It is expected that an opportunity for student response is provided after SIRT and DIRT responses as well as planned opportunities for self and peer assessment. Teachers should provide time in lessons for students to review and act upon written feedback as well as using for home learning opportunities. A SIRT task requires a teacher to give a Strength and an EBI and a short task for the student to complete. A DIRT task requires teachers to give a Strength and an EBI and a longer task for the student to complete. The only difference between a SIRT and a DIRT is the length of the task the student must engage in in response to marking. For a DIRT it is expected the task will take the students an extended period of time to complete – a minimum of 20 and up to 45 minutes, whereas a SIRT may be a shorter response if applicable – taking at most 15 minutes. Student tasks will be categorised by the descriptors, action, challenge, and question. This enables the teacher to differentiate for students giving a task that enables the students to demonstrate knowledge, apply and consolidate skills or extend their learning in response to their feedback. It is recognised that all departments may use different methods of recording SIRT/ DIRT feedback and peer and self-assessment, but the student task should be an action, challenge, question task and completed to the best of the students’ ability. The action, challenge, question task will ensure that students will focus on a specific area of underperformance which is currently impacting on their progress or that will extend their learning

• further. Tasks must be differentiated and personalised to the learning of each individual student and

teachers must be clear of what is expected of the student in their response in order to close any gaps in achievement and understanding. Students may use a different colour pen when responding to feedback. Teachers should acknowledge the student response indicating with a stamp if the student has ‘smashed it’ ‘got it’ is ‘nearly there’ or has ‘not yet’ improved their work in line with the feedback given.

4 Marking and Feedback Expectations and Frequency It is not expected that all work completed in exercise books is marked on every page. However students work will be marked using the following 4 guiding principles:

Marking Type Format Key Features Expected Frequency SIRT Response Short Improvement Reflection Time STRs and EBIs are noted although in less detail than a DIRT response

• STRs and EBIs have been identified on the piece of

work linked to the LO.

• There is an expectation that students act on the

marking e.g. correct spellings/ literacy errors and improve part

• f the work as identified by the teacher via an action/

challenge/ question related to LO/success criteria

• The SIRT response can be done as part of the next

lessons Do Now or Home Learning if appropriate.

• Use of school stamp Smashed it, Got it, Nearly there,

Not yet should be evident to indicate if the student response adequately addresses the EBI.

• 2-3 SIRT responses per

PR cycle (including if appropriate 1 Home Learning) depending on the length of PR cycle or curriculum allocation time. DIRT Response Dedicated Improvement Reflection Time Strengths (STRs) and Even better if (EBIs) are provided on a specific piece of identified work.

• It is expected

that all Departments have an agreed format for DIRT lessons with their Schemes for Learning.

• There is an expectation of a full student response via

a DIRT lesson (Dedicated Improvement Reflection Time) for key pieces of assessed of work.

• STRs will identify what the student has done well

based on the success criteria

• EBIs will identify the next steps in students learning

linked to the LO which will then be their focus in the next stage of learning.

• There is an expectation that students act on the

marking

• e. g. correct spellings/ literacy errors and improve part
• f the work as identified by the teacher via an action/

challenge/ question related to LO/success criteria

• DIRTs should be used by all staff and/or students
• Use of school stamp Smashed it, Got it, Nearly there,

Not yet should be evident to indicate if the student response adequately addresses the EBI.

• At least 1 DIRT response

per PR cycle subject to departmental requirements.

• Provide a working at

grade if applicable to inform next steps in learning for the student (see section on grading

• f students work)

Peer assessment

• r self-

assessment Strengths (STRs) and Even better if (EBIs) are provided on a specific piece of identified work by students themselves

• Validated by the teacher with a comment such as ‘I

agree’ or ‘You have identified clear next steps’ or school stamp Smashed it, Got it, Nearly there, Not yet to indicate if the student has met the task success criteria/LO.

• As appropriate to

success criteria Verbal feedback To provide immediate feedback to improve the learning and challenge any misconceptions

• Feedback is personalised to the needs of each student

to support learning.

• Evidence by student voice and learning walks.
• Targeted feedback

during learning time supported by student information on Venn diagram.

5 Marking for Literacy

• Every department should use these symbols when giving written feedback to students in

SIRT/DIRT assessed tasks. Departments may also use additional codes which are subject specific. Presentation: All staff at Stretford High School should expect the highest standards possible from students in the presentation of their work. Presentation which is of a poor quality will be challenged. If a student requires support with this, this will be coordinated by the subject teacher. The following should apply in all areas: Write in pen unless directed otherwise and respond to feedback in a different colour. Draw pictures and diagrams in pencil, where applicable, using equipment as instructed. Space your work out appropriately giving your teacher space to mark. Keep your book/folder clean and graffiti free. Written work should be done in blue/black ink or biro. A different colour of pen may be used if a student is responding to feedback. A mistake should be clearly crossed through and not obliterated by scribbles. Subject teachers should reward effort when giving feedback. This can be in the form on stickers, stamps

• r however each department would prefer this praise to be disseminated.

Evaluation and Review of Marking and Feedback It is expected that: Code Meaning Sp Teachers circle the misspelled word and write ‘sp’ to indicate the spelling mistake. Good practice – where possible will include writing the correct spelling of the word and encouraging students to use ‘look-cover-write-check’ to write the correct spelling of the word three times. Students must correct the spelling mistake as part of their response to marking and write into their spelling log. // New Paragraph C Teachers circle an incorrectly used capital letter and label ‘C’ – the student should correct the letter in purple pen as part of their response to marking P Punctuation mistake (the teacher circles error or omission and corrects if appropriate) and writes ‘p’ to indicate the error. (Basic punctuation includes: commas, full stops, question marks, apostrophe, speech marks and capital letters. More advanced punctuation includes: colons, semicolons brackets and exclamation marks) Where the teacher has circled a punctuation error and not corrected it, it is the responsibility

• f the student to make the correction. (Maths - check the calculation)

PR Proof Read – students should reread their work and ensure it makes sense – used where sentences are grammatically incorrect or a student has used informal or Non-Standard English.

6 Subject teachers

• Will incorporate AfL opportunities into every lesson
• Will keep a record of summative assessment outcomes
• Make their records available to their Head of Department
• Use marking and feedback to provide a holistic judgement of individual student progress
• Enter student progress data in line with the school’s assessment cycle

Head of Departments

• Ensure that opportunities for SIRT and DIRT lessons within departmental Schemes for Learning

are available

• Will lead planned opportunities within each assessment cycle to moderate key pieces of work

to support a consistent approach to marking and feedback

• Will seek out and facilitate opportunities for cross school moderation of marking
• Will provide opportunities to complete book reviews collaboratively, to reflect on standards of

marking and ensure that feedback from book reviews is a feature of departmental meetings

• Will conduct book reviews as per the school’s MER (monitoring, evaluation and review) cycle

and record outcomes using the book review criteria (below) ensuring feedback is timely when provided to colleagues

• Will use Learning Walks and Observations as an opportunity to explore how marking and

feedback, verbal feedback and AfL techniques are used to facilitate and accelerate progress

• Summarise the departmental book review outcomes via the centralised monitoring of teaching

and learning overview documentation

• Will address any identified ‘nearly there’ or ‘not yet’ marking and feedback in line with the

schools Appraisal policy and support accordingly

• Will update department improvement plans as a result of evaluation

Senior Leadership Link

• Will talk to students in accordance with the school’s MER cycle
• Will make use of the use the book review criteria (below) when conducting formal book reviews
• Will use Learning Walks and Observations as an opportunity to explore how marking and

feedback, verbal feedback and AfL techniques are used to facilitate and accelerate progress

• Will support the HOD in developing opportunities for cross school moderation of marking
• Will contribute to the self-evaluation process using the outcomes from all quality assurance

measures

• Will address any ‘nearly there’ or ‘not yet’ marking and feedback in line with the schools

Appraisal policy and support accordingly

• Will contribute to the review of the Marking, Feedback and Presentation policy

Book Review Criteria It has been agreed as a school that:

7 Outstanding feedback occurs when:

• Students make rapid gains as a result of the teacher’s marking and feedback.
• Work is marked accurately at consistent intervals in line with policy and assessment
• pportunities are productive.
• The teacher identifies clearly, using diagnostic and constructive language linked to the LO, the

next steps to improve to the next level, students confidently understand how to improve.

• There is evidence of dialogue between the teacher and students. That promotes increasing

engagement with responses to marking by making independent relevant corrections/ improvements and developing on skills addressed in feedback in future pieces of work.

• The teacher identifies and acknowledges where an action, challenge, question task/ EBI has

been met offering further opportunities for dialogue if/when necessary.

• Embedded peer and self-assessment is established, on-going and moderated by the teacher and

pupils, resulting in ongoing dialogue.

• Literacy marking is evident, consistent and corrected regularly.
• Numeracy opportunities are identified, fully explained and marked where appropriate.
• Presentation in books is outstanding.
• Where applicable, there is evidence of home learning in the books.

Good feedback occurs when:

• Students are making progress in clear response to the teacher’s marking and feedback.
• Work is marked regularly and accurately in line with policy using assessment opportunities

productively.

• Work is marked with diagnostic and constructive STRs/EBIs, linked to the LO – feedback is

detailed, concise and appropriate and enables students to understand how to improve.

• Students make consistent and relevant corrections/ improvements in response to the teacher’s

marking i.e. Dedicated Improvement Reflection Time (DIRT Time) and Short Improvement Reflection Time (SIRT time) therefore showing progress although they are not always consistently able to carry this into their next independent task.

• The teacher identifies and acknowledges where an action, challenge, question has met the EBI

given using praise appropriately and sometimes identifying opportunities for further progress if/when necessary.

• There is evidence of good quality peer and/or self- assessment and misconceptions are

addressed by the teacher.

• Literacy marking is evident and in line with the literacy policy
• Numeracy is identified and used, though not necessarily implemented to its full potential.
• Presentation in books is good with clear implementation of work set according to the

presentation policy.

• Where applicable, there is evidence of home learning in the books

Marking and Feedback requires improvement when:

• Students are not consistently making progress in response to the teacher’s marking and

feedback.

• Work is marked at irregular intervals, assessment is not always productive and marking is not

always in line with policy.

• Marking requires improvement, as it is not good; action, challenge, question tasks are not

specific or linked to LO and marking does not consistently enable students to independently make improvements to their work and gain an understanding of how to make progress.

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• Students respond but the response is minimal to DIRT and SIRT and does not always reflect the

feedback given.

• The teacher sometimes identifies and acknowledges where an action, challenge, question task

has met the EBI given.

• Limited opportunities for self and peer assessment – comments are vague and not focused on

the LO/ skills/ topic and not moderated by teacher

• Literacy mistakes are recurring and unchecked/inconsistently checked.
• Numeracy is inconsistently identified and used and/or unmarked
• Presentation in books is poor or needs improving.

It is agreed that marking and feedback is inadequate when:

• Students are unclear on how to make progress due to a lack of constructive diagnostic marking.
• Work is not marked regularly and is therefore not a productive use of assessment opportunities.

Marking is not in line with policy.

• Improvement action, challenge, question tasks are not set or are unclear – comments are not

skills based or lack specificity.

• There is very limited or no evidence of DIRT and SIRT or pupil response to teacher feedback.
• The teacher does not identify or acknowledge where an action, challenge, question task has

met the EBI given

• No opportunity for self and peer assessment
• Literacy is not addressed
• Numeracy is not addressed
• Presentation in books is inadequate and is not addressed by the member of staff.
• Where applicable, there is evidence of home learning in the books.